Revenue this month was the same old State pension and the Spouses pension from the Council. Plus the £200 Authorities assist with heating prices for these with out gasoline AND the £67 assist for electrical…… each have been credited to my electrical energy account, so there was nothing to pay for electrical this month and I will be in credit score now for some time longer. Though costs go up once more in April so who is aware of. It would not appear way back that £267 would have have coated a complete years electrical energy simply!
One ginormous expense was heating oil ……. 750 litres price £650. Final yr I obtained 500 litres in February and did not want extra till November so hopefully it ought to final. The heating wasn’t on a lot in the course of the month because it was a bit milder however appears to be like like there may be “growing chance of a lot colder climate in the course of March” . I’ve nonetheless obtained loads of wooden so will use the wood-burner if it does get further chilly.
The opposite massive expense was paying for having new trellis and posts. It is the identical as what was there earlier than, however now correctly fastened onto full peak posts which have been concreted in, somewhat than simply pushed into the bottom. Hides the oil tank and a offers bit extra privateness
I would paint it gray just like the plant stand or go away it how it’s. The pots can return on the stand now and it may be tied again to the put up so it would not get blown over.
I additionally checked out sons hand-held-battery-powered-mini-compressor-air-inflator machine factor and it regarded simple sufficient for even an fool like me and the opinions had been good too so I’ve purchased one and hopefully subsequent time the automobile tyre warning mild comes on it will likely be simple for me to test and put air in wherever I’m.
Different expenditure was the same old meals, diesel for the automobile, telephones, broadband and charity direct debits. I purchased multi goal compost and bone-meal fertiliser and a few wild chicken meals.
Payments got here for half yr from each Anglian Water Firm for sewer and Essex and Suffolk Water Co. for water. These are my first correct payments since having the water meter fitted final August. The financial savings are going to be HUGE. In March final yr – earlier than meter- when it was primarily based on Council Tax band I paid a grand whole of £635 for the yr – and it is paid upfront. I obtained massive refunds after the meter was fitted. Now I’ve simply paid a complete of £131 for what’s been utilized in 6 and a bit months.
My private spending was for swimming, second hand books, some new socks, WI Knit and Sew group and a bunch of tulips.
The letter got here from the DWP in regards to the state pension enhance from April – an even bigger % than final years rise attributable to it being primarily based on the speed of inflation final September – or one thing like that. It was instantly adopted by notification from the Tax workplace with subsequent years Tax Code. 2 pensions make an revenue of simply over the tax free restrict so that they prefer to take a bit off the Council Spouses pension simply to ensure I by no means get too rich!
No Council Tax Direct Debit this month (and subsequent) – I count on we are going to quickly hear how a lot it is going up prepared for when funds begin once more in April. I am band D presently paying £145 for every of 10 months (single particular person low cost) if it goes up 5% that is an additional £7 a month – roughly.(Wiping out a part of the Pension enhance!) Very glad I moved from Clay Cottage as that was band F and had been creeping towards £2,000 a yr.
Thrifty notes : – Small methods of saving on the mundane and boring to have the ability to have sufficient for the required and the attention-grabbing as an alternative.
- Ensuring to close curtains as quickly because it will get darkish
- Mixing milk half and half with water
- Hand-crafted bread
- Nonetheless utilizing the house grown onions and frozen peppers
- Choosing proper days to do the washing so it will possibly exit on the whirly
- Solely used tumble dryer for the brand new towels to do away with extra of the fluff
- Utilizing minimal of laundry liquid and extra washing soda as an alternative.
- Ensuring to purchase eggs when passing the roadside stall on option to swimming. £1 for ½ dozen
- Not shopping for alcohol, mushy drinks and many others
- Not shopping for make up and ‘merchandise’
- Utilizing solely 2nd Class put up
- No magazines or newspapers besides the Radio Instances.
- Free library books
- Utilizing plenty of batch made meals from freezer
Out of the home in February (for shedding it in Lent!) went ……..The Countdown recreation, 8 books and a bag of craft bits.
Looking forward to March the place the principle expense would be the automobile service and MOT.
Again Tomorrow
Sue
